Beech A23 accident near Ravenswood, West Virginia, May 9, 1987
On May 9, 1987 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Beech A23, registered N3543R, was destroyed in an accident near Ravenswood, West Virginia (Jackson County Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1987 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ravenswood, West Virginia · Jackson County Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N3543R · no longer on the register · serial M711
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PROVIDING FREE PROMOTIONAL RIDES FOR A FLIGHT SCHOOL. HE WAS ON THE FOURTH FLIGHT OF THE DAY, ON FINAL APPROACH, IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK SMALL TREES. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND 250FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTONS/FAILURES. AIRCRAFT WEIGHT AND BALANCE COMPUTATIONS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 61 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,145 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1987; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Observation at 3:05 pm from PKB, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.